Discussions By Condition: Mental conditions

Post Partum Depression - Being On Medicaton While Breastfeeding

Hi There, Just wondering if anyone else suffers from Post Partum Depression. I had my first Baby Girl in June 2006. I love her to death and would do anything for her, but I feel so alone sometimes and really down. I did suffer from Depression before I got Pregnant and was always aware that I would be at a greater risk of getting Post Partum Depression.

The Father and I are together but not living together, but I feel as though I am so alone. I can lash out towards him and get so angry for no reason towards the Father. I hate myself when I do that. It hasn't affected me so that I can't look after my Baby, but my relationship with the Father is really suffering. We are planning to get married this August, but I don't know if he will want to Marry Me if I am like this.

As I posted in another thread I have these Panic Attacks at night were my arms and legs go numb and it feels like i can't breath and my heart feels like it will explode. I never before in my life have experienced such distress at night. I talked to my Dr. and she prescribed Effexor XR. I have been on it before and it does help, but I am worried about Breastfeeding and being on Medication. Can anyone relate? Or can anyone let me know if they have been on Medication while Breastfeeding?

Hello, Thanks for writing. If you ever want to chat at all my e-mail is ladysnaps@hotmail.com. I know what it is like to feel down and not want to leave the house. But thanks for writing as I feel not so alone in this battle. Thanks

hi...I suffered from postnatal depression after the birth of my son. I also knew there would be a strong likelihood of this occuring as had suffered depression and anxiety for some years prior to falling pregnant. My doctor put me on citalopram several weeks after giving birth and though it helped periodically with my mood, my anxiety felt out of control. I was having panic attacks when out in public and these awful dibilitating symptoms would keep me from wanting to leave the safety of my home. Two weeks ago my doctor put me on efexor XR, I havn't yet noticed any reduction in my anxiety symptoms and just keep waiting for this medication to help. My doctor did state it may take several weeks to work. I have tried cognitive behaviour therapy with some success. I continue to breastfeed my son, he is 5 months old. My doctor assures me the efexor is safe to take while breastfeeding and I trust her. I think its important to remember that out babies need us to be healthy, content mothers and if medication is the answer to achieving that then we are doing the right thing.

Hi there! I take 20mg Lexapro and suffer from chronic depression, invasive thoughts and panic attacks and anxiety since I was about age 8. Got on meds around age 21 and it changed my life so much for the better! I'm 28 now, and am concerned that I might be pregnant. I am thinking that if I am I might consider going through with this because I have wanted a child for a while now.So I see there are some people in the forum who took lexapro during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Did it help? Did it need to be upped during pregnancy? What did your doctor say about staying on it. In my case, stopping the meds would be a very bad idea. I fall apart when I'm not on them. Positive words of encouragement and sharing positive experiences only would be nice. Thanks!

Here is a link I found about taking Effexor XR while breastfeeding. It's not safe!!!http://www.drugs.com/pdr/effexor-xr.htmlSpecial information if you are pregnant or breastfeedingThe effects of Effexor XR during pregnancy have not been adequately studied. If you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor immediately. Effexor XR should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.If Effexor XR is taken shortly before delivery, the baby may suffer withdrawal symptoms. It's also known that Effexor XR appears in breast milk and could cause serious side effects in a nursing infant. You'll need to choose between nursing your baby or continuing your treatment with Effexor XR.

I feel the same way and get put down and shamed by my mum all the time. my boyfriend and i are young 20 n 22 and we fight all the time, i too dont no y i do it. I have a 18month and a 3month. I decided i didnt want to get married with out my head being straight coz i dont even know who i am anymore. My doc has given me efexor xr and i been too scared it will go through my milk to baby. I despritly need something tho. thank for letting me no i normal n not alone good luck.brandycandyme@hotmail.com

To the woman who left this post: Hello i also have been on Effexor XR, im 33 weeks preggo and am going to breatfeed. Just wondering how things turned out for you and your little one? Please reply and thank you for your post!

To the woman whom posted this:Hi, I also am on Effexor XR, i am 33 weeks preggo and plan on breastfeeding. Just wondering how things went for you and your little one? Thank you for your post and hope to read some feedback from you.

Some research suggest that in women taking Effexor (venlafaxine) and breastfeeding, the levels of Effexor in their child's blood, while present, are too low to cause problems.The study published in the January 2002 edition of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology concluded that: “ The mean total drug exposure (as venlafaxine equivalents) of the breastfed infants was 6.4% (5.5-7.3%), which is below the 10% notional level of concern. There were no adverse effects in any of the infants. The data support the use of V in breastfeeding. Nevertheless, since low concentrations of ODV were detected in the plasma of four out of the seven infants studied, we recommend breastfed infants should be monitored closely. Each decision to breast feed should be made as an individual risk:benefit analysis.” Distribution of venlafaxine and its O-desmethyl metabolite in human milk and their effects in breastfed infants.

IMO antidepressant use should be a last resort for postpartum depression. The cause is often due to malnutrition/nutritional deficiency from pregnancy and labor. I would start by getting your blood levels checked and check especially your B12 levels. Experiment with different prenatal vitamins until you find one that helps your symptoms. Often women stop taking prenatals post delivery, and this should be continued especially if you breastfeed. A methyl B12 sublingual may really help for postpartum. It will take some time to get your body back in balance. Consider a holistic approach first, then if you continue feeling depressed you can opt for the antidepressants. Best wishesDOM

Hi i was prescribed Efexor-XR today for sever depression, i am also BF'ing and wish to continue to do so. After talking with my Dr i have come home and researched it more and here is what i foundEffexor and Breastfeeding: An OverviewSmall amounts of Effexor® (venlafaxine hydrochloride) are passed through breast milk. Because the drug could potentially cause serious side effects to a nursing infant, the manufacturer of Effexor recommends that women stop breastfeeding if they are taking Effexor or stop Effexor if they will continue to breastfeed. Practically, most healthcare providers advise their patients that it is okay to breastfeed while taking Effexor. This is because, in most cases, the benefits of breastfeeding a child outweigh the possible risks. Furthermore, there have been no known reported incidents of problems with breastfeeding infants whose mothers are taking Effexor.Effexor and Breastfeeding: What Does the Research Say?Several studies have shown that in women taking Effexor and breastfeeding, the levels of Effexor in their child's blood, while present, are too low to cause problems.The most recent study was conducted by Ilett and colleagues and published in the January 2002 edition of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. They concluded that "Since low concentrations of Effexor were detected in the blood, we recommend breastfed infants should be monitored closely…Each decision to breastfeed should be made as an individual risk to benefit analysis."Talking With Your Healthcare Provider About Effexor and BreastfeedingYou should talk with your healthcare provider about Effexor and breastfeeding. This is because everyone's situation is different and your healthcare provider understands your situation best. Based on what you want and expect and your current health situation, you and your healthcare provider can make a shared decision about Effexor and breastfeeding in your particular situation.Hope that helps some people, my Dr will be monitoring me and bubs closely with weekly visits to begin with to see how me and bubs react to medication. Good luck to everyone and my email is monie_52@hotmail.com is anyone wants to talk anytime xoxo

I'm currently 5 weeks pregnant, before all this I talked to my pdoc about effexor XR as I've been on it for over 4 yrs now. He told me that Effexor is OK to take while pregnant, it's been around for a long time, and the people he's met with have had healthy babies, breast feeding is another story. They say it's too low to be concerned but I guess it's up to you and the doctor. I'd love to breast feed, and hopefully I can get off Effexor before I'm too far along. Good luck.

DOM's advice is valuable though the cause of the array of perinatal mood disorders gains much understanding from the ancient system of natural medicine called Ayurveda. And cultures around the world that don't have problems postpartum all do similar things, I've found, identfying similar time periods, etc. If it were me knowing what I have learned even so far bout these meds, I'd be avoiding them as once born, Baby goes cold turkey and for an adult, it is very difficult! However even the medical textbooks on how long to safely come off them are not accurate, according to several sources I've seen. My education therein started with Dr. Ann Blake Tracey's work, though the below is more thorough and more useful presentation. For alternative medicines that work, with focus on postpartum needs, we have RNs, Docs, lactation consultants and more who sometimes participate on the yahoo forum perintatalayurveda. My experience is strong on the prevention side and understanding, and I see how the meds increase the root cause imbalances even though sometimes covering the symptoms at issue. It makes managment tricker and best handled by truely educated team.For serious support list of non-SSRI licensed practitioners, request from CCHR, Citizens Commission on Human Rights. I"m told they are the best anti-psych meds group, really making changes. They are political and educational, and not specifically postpartum focused but have many licensed medical practitioners on their list and apparently excellent database of research reports to verify effects on babies too. Some reports you or your doc may have heard about may be misleading, or in some cases actually incorrectly reported.Because these folks don't really have some of the cause level answers to extent I know are available, if it were me I'd include a well trained Ayurvedic practitioner in Women/Children's health who also is familiar with the SSRI risks and management on my support team. Hope this helps - my interest these days at age 60 this year is gathering info from all sides for a publication on the topic, and if possible a local research project that will create duplicatable model. Wish me luck too! I'm just beginning the laborious homework, tho can see some key things, you know? Blessings,Ysha

I have been on effexor for at least 5 years now and my little one is 5 1/2 months old. She is mostly breastfed. I rarely supplemented with formula, only on the odd occasion. She is perfectly healthy and happy...no side effects evident.So I hope this helps those of you out there feel at peace :)I continue to take effexor and continue to breastfeed my beautiful little girl :)

Hi there! I take 20mg Lexapro and suffer from chronic depression, invasive thoughts and panic attacks and anxiety since I was about age 8. Got on meds around age 21 and it changed my life so much for the better! I'm 28 now, and am concerned that I might be pregnant. I am thinking that if I am I might consider going through with this because I have wanted a child for a while now.So I see there are some people in the forum who took lexapro during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Did it help? Did it need to be upped during pregnancy? What did your doctor say about staying on it. In my case, stopping the meds would be a very bad idea. I fall apart when I'm not on them. Positive words of encouragement and sharing positive experiences only would be nice. Thanks! have been on Lexapro for 2 years now. I suffer from anxiety and mild depresion. I Take 10 mgs a day. I just had a baby girl and stayed on the lexapro throughout my pregnancy. Now I breastfeed her as well as give her formula. I am most likely going to up my dosage to 20 mgs a day because I feel I am becoming more and more stresed due to living with my husbands parents. I hate the fact that everyone is always in my face and that we dont have our own home with peace and quiet. I never needed to up my prescription of lexapro during my pregnancy. I do not think you should stop taking the lexapro because a stressed out mom is not good during pregnancy. Don't worry. I was scared to up my dosage of lexapro to 20mgs until I started reading all these from other people. I now feel much more comfortable in doing so. Good luck to you. I know everything will work out and congratulations on the pregnancy.

Hi there! I take 20mg Lexapro and suffer from chronic depression, invasive thoughts and panic attacks and anxiety since I was about age 8. Got on meds around age 21 and it changed my life so much for the better! I'm 28 now, and am concerned that I might be pregnant. I am thinking that if I am I might consider going through with this because I have wanted a child for a while now.So I see there are some people in the forum who took lexapro during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Did it help? Did it need to be upped during pregnancy? What did your doctor say about staying on it. In my case, stopping the meds would be a very bad idea. I fall apart when I'm not on them. Positive words of encouragement and sharing positive experiences only would be nice. Thanks!Your case sounds very similar to mine. I felt better than normal while pregnant. I actually lowered the dose, and now looking back wonder if I could have done without it. I would see how you feel and if you think you can lower it, it might be a good idea just because it is a class c drug. But you just have to weigh it out. Horrible anxiety and depression can have bad effects on the baby. So you just have to be the decider of it. No one else knows how bad or good you feel.